School Age Immunisation Service

The School Age Vaccination Service (SAIS) is only able to offer flu vaccinations to children in schools up to Year 11.

If your child is in Year 12 or 13 in a mainstream school and in a clinical risk group, then they maybe eligible for a flu vaccination through your GP.

SAIS can provide flu vaccinations to children in Year 12 or 13 in special schools. If you are unsure, please contact the team on scn-tr.sheffielddutysn.vacandimm@nhs.net for more details.

When will my child’s school be visited?

How does it work?

The flu vaccine can be provided needle-free and given as a single dose that is sprayed up each nostril. It is quick and painless and will mean your child is less likely to become ill if they come into contact with the flu virus.

The nasal spray is generally more effective than the injected flu vaccine, especially in young children, which is why children are now routinely offered the nasal spray rather than the flu jab.

However, the nasal spray also contains porcine content (gelatine) which may not be suitable for everyone. If parents or carers would prefer their child not to receive the nasal spray vaccine due to the porcine content (or any other reason), another form of immunisation can be offered. The injection does not contain any porcine content. If you would prefer your child to receive this option, then please complete the consent form.

Why is it important?

Flu can be very unpleasant for children. They have the same symptoms as adults – including fever, chills, aching muscles, headache, stuffy nose, dry cough and sore throat lasting up to a week. Some children develop a very high fever or complications of flu such as bronchitis, pneumonia and painful middle ear infection. They may need hospital treatment, and very occasionally, a child may die from flu.

The nasal spray vaccine contains flu viruses that have been weakened to stop them causing flu. It will help your child build up immunity to flu in a similar way as natural infection (but without the symptoms). Because the main flu viruses change each year, a new nasal spray vaccine has to be given each year, in the same way as the injectable flu vaccine. The flu vaccine for children has a very good safety profile.

How will I hear about it?

Parents and carers will receive an email about the flu immunisation at the start of the autumn school term. This will ask for your e-consent, so your child can be given the vaccine. The immunisation will then be done at their school by a school nurse. The nasal spray vaccine offers the best protection for children aged 2 to 17 years. They’ll be offered a flu vaccine injection if the nasal spray vaccine is not suitable for them. Injected flu vaccines are also safe and effective.

The nasal spray flu vaccine has very few side effects, the main one being that vaccinated children may have a runny nose for a short time afterwards.

• Flu Heroes – Nasal Flu Spray for Kids (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust)
• PHE Protecting your child against flu info for parents BSL subtitles (UK Health Security Agency)
• National flu immunisation programme 2024 to 2025 letter (Gov UK)

Consent for children’s flu vaccine

View the e-consent form

If you have any difficulties with the consent form, please contact our team.

In Years 8 and 9 at school, children and young people will be offered the adolescent programme of vaccinations, this consists of the following:

Human papillomavirus (HPV vaccine)

The HPV vaccine has been offered to all girls in Year 8 for over ten years. Since  September 2019, the vaccine has also been offered to Year 8 boys. This is because the evidence is clear that the HPV vaccine helps protect both boys and girls from HPV-related cancers.

The HPV vaccine helps protect against infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

This virus increases the risk of developing some cancers later in life, such as: cervical cancer, some mouth and throat cancers and some cancers of the anus and genital areas.

What difference has the HPV vaccine made so far?

More than 80 million people have received the vaccine worldwide. In time it is expected that the vaccine will save hundreds of lives every year in the UK. A recent Scottish study has already shown a 71% reduction in pre-cancerous cervical disease in young women. Since the start of the vaccination programme in the UK there has been a big decline in the number of young people with genital warts.

Diphtheria, Tetanus & Polio (DTP)

DTP is given in Year 9 – and you may hear it called the ‘school leaver’s booster’.

Diphtheria is a serious disease that often begins with a sore throat. It can damage the heart, nervous system and, in severe cases, may kill.

Tetanus is a painful disease affecting the nervous system and is caused when germs found in soil and manure get into the body through open wounds.

Polio is a virus that attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis of the muscles; if it affects the chest muscles or brain it can kill.

This vaccine is given a single injection into the upper arm.

• 3-in-1 teenage booster (NHS)

Meningitis ACWY

Meningitis ACWY is also given in Year 9. This vaccine protects against the four main groups of meningococcal bacteria that can cause meningitis (infection of the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (blood poisoning). Meningococcal disease is rare but really serious and can lead to amputation, hearing loss, brain damage and scars.

• MenACWY vaccine overview

Consent for HPV, DTP, and Meningitis ACWY vaccine

View the e-consent form

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR vaccine)

When you are having your Td/IPV boosters and Men ACWY vaccine, it’s a good idea to check with the nurse or doctor that all your other immunisations are up to date, such as MMR. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine, it protects against three serious illnesses:

• measles
• mumps
• rubella (german measles)

These highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.

Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems including meningitis, hearing loss and problems during pregnancy

It’s particularly important to check that your MMR immunisation is up to date because we know some children have not had two doses of MMR. You should be given routine doses as a one-year-old and then a second dose at 3 years 4 months, however it’s never too late to catch up on missed doses or to receive the vaccine.

It’s particularly important to check you’ve had both doses if you:

• are about to start college or university
• are going to travel abroad
• are planning a pregnancy
• are a frontline health or social care worker
• were born between 1970 and 1979, as you may have only been vaccinated against measles
• were born between 1980 and 1990, as you may not be protected against mumps

More information about the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is available on the NHS website.

Children and young people are automatically offered vaccinations within the relevant school year. If a child has missed a routine vaccination then please contact us to discuss this. We will accept referrals from young people themselves, parents, carers, teaching staff, GPs, other healthcare professionals and social workers. We will catch up on missed vaccinations up to the age of 19 for children and young people who are eligible.

If your child misses a vaccination in school, you can bring them to one of our drop-in sessions at different sites around Sheffield. At these clinics we will be providing vaccinations for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Diphtheria Tetanus and Polio and Meningitis ACWY – as well as free tea and coffee.

You can also ask any questions or discuss any concerns you may have.

Every Thursday between 3.30pm and 5.15pm, our team will be at Fir Vale Community Hub, 127 Page Hall Road, S4 8GU.

Our next available drop-in community clinics for teenage vaccines are listed at the top of the page.

The team also offers support for children and young people with vaccination fear and anxiety. Our sensory vaccination clinics run throughout the year. These are a quieter, calmer space with much longer appointment slots where young people can be accompanied by a supporting adult. They may choose to just visit, or have a consultation, or be vaccinated on the day.

15-year-old Adam went to one of these sensory clinics to overcome his fear of needles, and you can read his story.

If they are unsuccessful during these clinics, the team can also offer some ongoing support and resources around fear and panic, grounding techniques and a graded exposure exercise.

Sensory clinics work on an appointment basis, please call 0114 305 3230 or email the service to discuss your individual requirements.

If you do not want your child to receive the vaccination(s) please return the consent forms and fill in the refusal section. If you do this your child will not be offered the vaccine. If you can, please tell us why you have done this, as sometimes we may be able to offer support in other ways for your child.

It is really important that children receive the routine immunisation programme suggested by Public Health England. If you think your child has outstanding vaccinations not covered by the School Age Immunisation Service, please contact your registered GP.